The Astoria Project is the result of a unique
partnership between LAGCC’s photography
department and the Max Planck Institute
for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, an international research initiative
dedicated to the study of diversity in historical and contemporary societies.

Dr. Anna Cieslik, a sociologist and the
institute’s project coordinator, was inspired
by a local newspaper article featuring Long
Island City Works, a 2011 class project that
encouraged LAGCC photography students
to document working men and women in
Long Island City small businesses. In summer

2012, Cieslik approached Scott Sternbach,
director of LAGCC’s commercial photo program, with an offer for students to participate in The Astoria Project. She states, “Apart
from relying on my photos, I wanted to see
the neighborhood through students’ eyes
and find out how they perceive the community.” The goal was for students to produce
professional-quality, digital photographs
for an exhibition to be shown first at their
school and then travel to international venues associated with the Max Plank Institute.

For Sternbach, The Astoria Project createda valuable opportunity to get studentsshooting in the streets and thereby gainprofessional experience. He states, “For me,getting students out of the classroom andinto the field is paramount to learning to bea professional photographer. You can talk allyou want about taking photographs, but toactually have to go out and approach strang-ers in the street, as in this project, immersesstudents in activities identical to taking ondaily future assignments.”Thirteen students in LAGCC’s photog-raphy program contributed photographsto the project, reflecting a colorful mix oflocal residents and representing variouscultures and generations, from children tothe elderly. Wandering the streets in smallgroups at different times of day, they weregiven artistic license to photograph whom-ever and whatever caught their eyes on thecity streets related to the theme of diversity.

Lidiya Kan, a photography major and recentgraduate, chose to photograph three work-ers from the Steinway Piano Factory playingchess during their break and a man in ataxi garage at night. Sternbach says, “Theywere just asked to express diversity in theirown way, whether it was through portraits,mixed environment with portraiture orstreet scenes.”For Eddie Santillan, another graduat-ing photo major, working on The AstoriaProject was an exciting and enrichingexperience. Santillan says, “One particu-lar subject I photographed was an Italianimmigrant named Casper. Before takinghis picture, I sat down and spoke withhim—getting to know his story, which wassomething new for me. After hearing hisstory, I asked if I could take his portrait andhe gladly said yes. Although the conversa-tion was short, you could see the intimacyin Casper’s eyes, which I don’t think wouldhave happened had I not conversed withhim. I quickly learned the benefits of get-ting to know your subject before pressingthe shutter button.”Sternbach mentions Lina Reyes as anoth-er student who grew bolder in her abilityto approach strangers. “Lina was a very shystudent who had issues approaching peoplein the past,” he says. “She always showedtalent but was unable to put it all together.

She blossomed during and after the Astoriawork. She learned a fearlessness with thecamera that she never had before.”The LAGCC exhibition closed at the endof June 2013, but the same digital files willbe printed on location for upcoming exhibi-tions—first in Goettingen, Germany, theMax Planck Institute’s hometown and laterat other research locations in Singapore andJohannesburg.

“I truly believe I’m a better photographerbecause of this,” says Santillan, who plans touse his photography skills as a research toolin a future anthropology career. “The Asto-ria Project gave me a first chance to test myskills, which was why it was such a specialand rewarding experience.” EDUphotos:(top)MasatoKuroda,(middle)LinaReyesThe Astoria Project

Community College Students Capture Diversityin Queens ; By Tema Stauffer ;

STREET SAVVY: Student Lina Reyes learned “a fearlessness
with a camera that she never had before,” Sternbach says.

An exhibition catalog from The Astoria Project is
also available for preview or purchase through
Blurb at < bit.ly/13UpEex>.

IN TERETHNIC ENCOUN TERS: Students in Scott
Sternbach’s photography class were invited by a local
nonprofit to capture cultural diversity in Queens. At left,
the image used on the cover of the exhibition catalog.